By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic
Pioneer parishioners take part in the Mass for teh 75th anniversary of Corpus Christi Parish in Miami. From left: Estrelita Riue, a member for 63 years; and Russell Zkaib and his wife, Santa Maria Zkaib, parishioners for 71 years.
Deacon Antonio Perez kisses the head of Eloino Rosario, 93, as he receives a flag that once flew over the Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor. The attack took place 75 years ago. Corpus Christi Church celebrated its first Mass one week later. Rosario was in the Army in 1941 and was part of the search and rescue mission at Pearl Harbor. His sons, Lionel Rosario and Alben Rosario were by his side at the Mass for the 75th anniversary of Corpus Christi Parish.
Alex Pineda, 10, Dalia Saravia, and Angie Rodriguez, 9, place flowers in front of an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe during Mass for the 75th anniversary of Corpus Christi Parish. Deacon Antonio Perez is at left.
Father Jose Luis Menendez, Corpus Christi's pastor, wraps his arms around Father Jose Paz, left, and Father Jose Luis Paniagua during the 75th anniversary of Corpus Christi Parish. Both are former pastors of the parish.
Priests that have served at Corpus Christi Parish take part in teh 75th anniversary Mass; from left: Father Milton Rivera, Father Robert Ayala and Jesuit Father Eddie Alvarez.
Sister Lucy Cardet of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, left, sits with Eva Kordos, center, whose family have been longtime parishioners, and fellow Franciscan Sister Michele Dolyk, at the Mass marking the 75th anniversary of Corpus Christi Parish. Sister Lucy served as principal and Sister Michele as teacher at Corpus Christi School, which closed in 2009 and is now a public charter school.
Santa Clara Mission parishioners cheer when their mission is mentioned as one of the five missions opened in surrounding neighborhoods by the mother church, Corpus Christi, which this year is marking its 75th anniversary.
Schola Choir sings "O Sanctissima" during the Mass marking Corpus Christi Parish's 75th anniversary. A Tridentine Latin Mass is celebrated Sundays at 9:30 a.m. one of the parish missions, La Milagrosa.
Father Jose Luis Menendez holds up the chalice given to the first Corpus Christi pastor during the Mass marking the Wynwood parish's 75th anniversary.
Claretian Sister Carmen Alvarez, 85, directs the church choir during Corpus Christi's 75th anniversary Mass Dec. 12. She received recognition for her 40 years of service at the church, where she also directs the religious education program.
Father Jose Luis Menendez, Corpus Christi pastor, blesses church workers after the Mass marking the Wynwood parish's 75th anniversary Dec. 12.
Photography: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
MIAMI | Corpus Christi Parish celebrated its 75th anniversary Dec. 12 with a Mass concelebrated by its current pastor, Father Jose Luis Menendez, and former pastors Father Jose Paz and Father Jose Luis Paniagua.
Also in attendance were Allegany Franciscan sisters who staffed Corpus Christi School before it became a public charter school in 2009; and parishioners from the mother church and the five mission churches created since Father Menendez became pastor in the late 1980s.
The missions are a way of bringing the church to the people in neighborhoods such as Edgewater and Buena Vista, who often lack transportation to travel to the main church. The parish area was split twice by the construction of I95 and State Road 112.
It was founded in 1941 and celebrated its first Mass Dec. 12 of that year. Read the anniversary story, here.
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